Malachi
Malachi 1
Chapter I · Vol. III, p. 1502
1 God, by Malachi, complaineth of Israel's ingratitude, 6 and of the profane disrespect shown to God's worship. 14 The curse of corrupt offerings.
2 I have loved you, saith the LORD: yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet Ib loved Jacob,
3 And I hated Esau, and claid his mountains and his heritage waste for the ddragons of the wilderness.3
c Is.34.9-15; 63.1,3. Je.49.17,18. Joel 3.19. Ob.9,10,16,18. Eze.25.13; 35.3-15.
d Ps.44.19. Is.13.22; 34.13,14. Je.9.11; 51.37.
3 The words are prophetic, though uttered as if historic. Edom was not laid waste for many centuries after the time of Malachi. In fact it attained its greatest prosperity subsequent to his day, when occupied by the Nabatheans, and adorned with those splendid rock temples and palaces which still attract the attention of travellers.—P.
4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, bute we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border4 of wickedness, and, gThe people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be hmagnified from5 the border6 of Israel.
h Ps.35.26,27; 58.10,11; 83.18.
5 Heb. from upon, or, upon.
6 From the border—beyond the border of Israel in other lands.—C.
6 Ai son honoureth his father, and ja servant his master: if then kI be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, lwhere is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, nO priests, that despise my name. And oye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
i Ex.20.12. Le.19.2,32. Ep.6.2.
j 1 Ti.6.1. Tit.2.9,10.
k Ex.4.22; 19.5,6. Lu.1.46,47; 6.36.
l ver.7-14; ch. ii. iii. Ne. xiii.
o Ho.12.8. ver.7; ch.2.14,17; 3.7,8,13,14.
7 Ye7 offer ppolluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, qThe table of the LORD is contemptible.
7 Or, Bring unto, &c.
p Le.22.19-25; 21.6; 3.11,16. ver.8,14.
8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice,8 is it not evil? and rif ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor: will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
8 Heb. to sacrifice.
r ver.7,14. Le.22.19-25. De.15.21.
s Is.1.11-15; 66.3. Pr.15.8; 21.27; 28.9. Jn.9.31. Ju.10.14.
9 And now, I pray you, sbeseech God9 that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means:1 willt he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.
10 Whou is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought.2 Iv have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.3
u 1 Co.9.13. Ho.10.1. Zec.7.5. Is.58.3. Phi.2.21; 3.18,19.
2 Kennicott, on the authority of 30 MSS., and the Septuagint, reads, 'Surely the doors shall be closed against you, neither shall ye kindle the fire of mine altar in vain.'—C.
v He.10.38. Is.1.11. Je.6.20. Am.5.21.
3 The meaning of the charge brought against the priests is that they were avaricious. They only served in the temple for pay. They would do no work except from sordid motives—not even the most trivial offices in the temple would they discharge. Hence God's rejection of them and their services.—P.
11 For xfrom the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense4 shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.5
x Ps.113.3. Is.59.19; 60.3,5; 66.19,20. Ps.72.8-11. Mi.5.4. 1 Ti.2.8. Jn.4.21,23. Ac.10.34,35. Mar.13.10. Is.11.9,10; 24.14-16. Ps.22.27-31. Re.13.15; 8.3; 15.4. He.13.15,16.
A.M. cir. 3604 or 3580. B.C. cir. 400 or 424.
4 Incense—pure offering. Prayers (Re.5.8; 8.3,4. 1 Pe.2.5), holy praises, thanksgiving, alms-deeds (Ho.13.15,16), the bodies of believers, Ro.12.1.—C.
5 The thoughtful reader will see that the words which indicate the future in this verse have been added by the translators. Some affirm that the prophet referred to his own days, affirming that God was worshipped in all nations, though under different names and in different ways. Such a view is opposed to history and to the analogy of Scripture. The sacred writers draw a clear and marked distinction between the worship of Jehovah and every form of idolatry—between the God of Israel and the gods of the heathen. Consequently we are justified, with the authors of our version, in understanding these words as relating to the spread of the gospel, and its final triumph in the world.—P.
12 Buty ye have profaned it, in that ye say, zThe table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
13 Ye said also, aBehold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it,6 saith the LORD of hosts: and ye brought bthat which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
Notes
Ver. 3-5. Their very eyes saw that the Lord had not only almost utterly destroyed the Edomites, but had rendered their country altogether desolate, and fruitful in nothing but serpents. 10, 11. Since ye are so mercenary that, notwithstanding all that I have allotted to you as a reward, ye can scarcely think of shutting a door in my temple without some special hire, ye may withhold your sacrifices. I have provided for myself a people among the Gentile nations to worship and to honour me with spiritual sacrifices of their persons, praises, thanksgivings, and alms-deeds.
Ver. 3. I hated Esau. Hated is sometimes applied to the object of a less degree of love, Ge. 29. 31; Lu. 14. 26. For this love Jacob had every cause to be grateful, for God's special grace was undeserved; while Esau had no cause to complain, for God's hatred of his profanity was a righteous judgment, He. 12. 16. C.
Ver. 7. Polluted bread. Perhaps their ordinary bread, which might be held polluted by leaven, Le. 2. 11; 6. 17; 10. 12, which was only admissible in the sacrifice of thanksgiving and firstfruits, Le. 7. 13; 23. 17. C.
Ver. 9. Will he regard your persons, on account of your descent from Levi and your priestly office? And will he overlook your profanity in the management of his worship? C.
Reflections.—Great is the tenderness of divine grace with respect to persons and nations, in favouring and saving all who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. But if once ingratitude towards God prevail in the heart, nothing will appear too base to be done to or said of him. No greatness in him will awe, no relation engage, and no law will influence, nay, nor even self-interest move, us to serve him aright; and none are ever more noted profaners of God's worship than careless clergymen.—Let men beware! Let our behaviour correspond to God's distinguishing kindness and peculiar relations to us! Let bitter repentance, reverential fear, upright obedience, and fervent and holy devotions, prevent God's removing his gospel kingdom from us to another nation, and his executing his fearful and ruinous curse upon us!